AN apology has been demanded from housing association chiefs after they took over council homes and then upped wages – including those in senior management by as much as 20%.

And Conwy County Council will now formally ask Cartrefi Conwy to think again about their pay hike.

The association is also being asked to retract a statement claiming staff, formerly employed by the council, hadn’t already been given a rise in 2007 and 2008.

Furious councillors attacked the housing association at a heated cabinet meeting at the HQ in Bodlondeb, yesterday before members voted to ask Cartrefi Conwy to reconsider the wage rise and apologise to tenants footing the bill.

Around 3,800 council homes were transferred from the council to the not-for-profit Cartrefi Conwy in September last year in the hope of improving homes in line with Welsh Housing Quality Standards by 2012.

Headed by Conwy’s former housing chief, Andrew Bowden, the association promised to improve ex-council homes with repairs and works to kitchens and bathrooms by borrowing £36m over five years.

However after only months in charge the association then brought in independent consultants who recommended staff wages should be raised by between nine and 20%, a decision backed by the organisation’s board.

This led to board member Melvyn Hill quitting and fellow board member Cllr Chris Hughes threatening the same.

“The people say they haven’t had a wage rise, they did have a wage rise in 2007 and 2008,” he said.

“What you have to remember is these wage rises are coming out of rents people are struggling to pay.

“I’m asking the cabinet to look at that decision in giving high wages to certain members of their staff.

“I still feel we have an obligation if there is an injustice with rents. I’m asking the cabinet to ask Cartrefi Conwy to reconsider and an apologise to the residents. Morally it is absolutely wrong what they are doing to the residents.”

In response a spokesman said: “Cartrefi Conwy has not yet received any correspondence from Conwy Council but their letter will be given consideration in due course.

“The recommendations of the independent experts were an accurate reflection of the going rate in this sector and brought the salaries of the senior management team into line with the likes of senior officers and directors in local government.